1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a tray for supporting tools, parts and supplies, and more particularly, to an improved mechanic's tray for mounting in a vehicle, over the engine compartment in an accessible position, to facilitate repair of the vehicle in which it is so mounted.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known that a mechanic or other person working on a vehicle in or around the engine compartment has need for a convenient area to place needed tools, parts and supplies so as to save labor and time in continuously reaching and/or searching for the same. Therefore, a number of devices having trays for supporting tools and supplies, or the body of mechanics in position adjacent the engine of an automobile, are known. These known devices include trays secured to and supported by the body of an automobile, in desired positions toward the front thereof, as illustrated in U.S Pat. Nos. 1,723,238, 2,901,303 and 3,015,530. Other known devices are supported by the engine or fenders of the vehicle and are designed to support the body of a mechanic to enable the mechanic to lean on or lie against the device adjacent to or over the engine compartment. Such body supporting devices are shown in U.S Pat. Nos. 3,698,330 ('330) and 4,493,393. These body supporting devices may also include separate tool carrying or support trays, removably attached thereto. Furthermore, the '330 body supporting device patent includes adjustable, telescoping legs pivotably mounted to the body supporting portion of the device. However, these pivotably mounted, telescoping legs are complex, not easy to use, are expensive to manufacture and maintain, and are not adaptable to be used on a tray for supporting tools and the like, mounted over a vehicle engine compartment.
Although the above-identified prior art patents solve some of the known problems encountered by mechanics when working around an engine compartment, under the hood of a vehicle, they do not solve all the known problems, such as attempting to use known holding trays for tools, parts and supplies, in various vehicles having different size engine compartments and/or engines, with or without hoods covering the same. Nor can such known tray devices be easily moved around or adjusted while under the hood of a vehicle. Therefore, there still exists the need for a simple, easy to use and low-cost mechanic's tool, part and supply support tray, that is both portable and easily adjusted so as to be mounted and securely supported in substantially any operative position, in various size and makes of vehicles, so as to allow a mechanic to easily and safely work on or around the engine compartment, of various vehicles, and which tray is also adjustable to take up a minimum of space when stored.